{"id":383200,"date":"2026-04-16T22:33:18","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T22:33:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/383200\/"},"modified":"2026-04-16T22:33:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T22:33:18","slug":"israels-netanyahu-says-he-agrees-to-a-10-day-ceasefire-in-lebanon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/383200\/","title":{"rendered":"Israel’s Netanyahu says he agrees to a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon"},"content":{"rendered":"

US President Donald Trump announced overnight that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, a truce that could boost attempts to extend the ceasefire between Iran, the United States and Israel after weeks of devastating war<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Israel has not been fighting with Lebanon<\/a> itself, but rather with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group inside Lebanon. Hezbollah said in a statement that “any ceasefire must be comprehensive across all Lebanese territory and must not allow the Israeli enemy any freedom of movement”.<\/p>\n

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking in a video message, said he agreed to the ceasefire “to advance” peace efforts with Lebanon. “We have an opportunity to make a historic peace agreement with Lebanon,” he said.<\/p>\n

US Correspondent Logan Church explained what made the talks historic, as the US military claimed that it has successfully begun to enforce a blockade of Iranian ports. (Source: Breakfast)<\/p>\n

Hezbollah added that “Israeli occupation on our land grants Lebanon and its people the right to resist it, and this matter will be determined based on how developments unfold,” a stance that could complicate the ceasefire.<\/p>\n

Israel has staged a ground invasion in southern Lebanon, where its forces have been engaged in fierce battles with Hezbollah in the border area. It is unclear whether Israel would withdraw some or all of its forces as part of the truce.<\/p>\n

Trump posted the ceasefire announcement on his Truth Social platform, saying it was to begin at 5pm (local time). The announcement comes two days after the countries held their first direct diplomatic talks<\/a> in decades in Washington. Hezbollah had opposed direct talks between Lebanon and Israel.<\/p>\n

\"President<\/p>\n

President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. (Source: Associated Press)<\/p>\n

Trump extends White House invitation<\/p>\n

Lebanon has insisted on a ceasefire to stop the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah before engaging in more talks, while vowing to commit to disarming the group.<\/p>\n

Israel and Lebanon have technically been at war since Israel was established in 1948, and Lebanon remains deeply divided over diplomatic engagement with Israel.<\/p>\n

Trump also invited the leaders of Israel and Lebanon to the White House for what he said would be “the first meaningful talks<\/a>” between the countries since 1983.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A worker arranges furniture from an apartment of a destroyed building that was hit a week ago in an Israeli airstrike in central Beirut, Lebanon. (Source: Associated Press)<\/p>\n

“Both sides want to see PEACE, and I believe that will happen, quickly,” Trump wrote.<\/p>\n

Lebanon and Israel signed an agreement in 1983 saying Lebanon would formally recognise Israel, and Israel would withdraw from Lebanon. The deal fell apart during Lebanon\u2019s civil war and was formally rescinded a year later.<\/p>\n

Trump said the pause in fighting followed “excellent” conversations with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.<\/p>\n

Pakistan army chief meets with Iranian parliament speaker<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Pakistan\u2019s powerful army chief met Thursday with Iran\u2019s parliament speaker as part of international efforts to press for an extension to a ceasefire that has paused almost seven weeks of war between Israel, the US and the Islamic Republic.<\/p>\n

\"In<\/p>\n

In this photo released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, right, meets with Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Gen. Asim Munir in Tehran. (Source: Associated Press)<\/p>\n

It was unclear whether the frantic diplomacy could lead to a lasting deal as the two-week ceasefire passes the halfway mark. The Iran war has killed thousands of people and upended global markets by disrupting the flow of oil.<\/p>\n

Iranian state television did not provide details on the meeting between Pakistani Army Gen. Asim Munir and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who has emerged as his country\u2019s chief negotiator.<\/p>\n

There was no immediate comment from Pakistan, which has become a key mediator after hosting direct talks between the US and Iran that authorities said helped narrow differences between the sides. Mediators are seeking a new round before the ceasefire expires next week.<\/p>\n

The White House said any further talks regarding Iran would likely take place in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, though no decision had been made on whether to resume negotiations. The fragile ceasefire is holding despite a US naval blockade of Iranian ports and Iranian counter-threats to target regional ports across the Red Sea.<\/p>\n

The war has jolted markets and rattled the global economy as shipping has been cut off and airstrikes have pounded military and civilian infrastructure. Oil prices have fallen amid hopes for an end to fighting, and US stocks on Wednesday surpassed records set in January.<\/p>\n

Fighting continues between Israel and Hezbollah<\/p>\n

Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fire across the border, with Hezbollah targeting towns in northern Israel with rockets and drones. Israeli fire against southern Lebanon intensified, especially around the cities of Tyre, Nabatieh and the strategic town of Bint Jbeil near the border with Israel.<\/p>\n

\"Residents<\/p>\n

Residents stand next to the rubble of a destroyed building that was hit a week ago in an Israeli airstrike in central Beirut, Lebanon. (Source: Associated Press)<\/p>\n

Israeli troops have pushed deeper into southern Lebanon to create what officials have called a \u201csecurity zone,\u201d which Netanyahu has said will extend at least 8km to 10km into Lebanon.<\/p>\n

Officials say US and Iran are making progress<\/p>\n

Even as the US blockade on Iranian ports and renewed Iranian threats strained the ceasefire, regional officials reported progress, telling AP that the United States and Iran had an \u201cin-principle agreement\u201d to extend it to allow for more diplomacy. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations.<\/p>\n

But tensions simmered.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

(Source: Associated Press)<\/p>\n

The commander of Iran\u2019s joint military command, Ali Abdollahi, threatened to halt trade in the region if the US does not lift its naval blockade, and a newly appointed military adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said he does not support extending the ceasefire.<\/p>\n

Mediators seek compromise on sticking points<\/p>\n

Mediators are pushing for a compromise on three main sticking points: Iran\u2019s nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz and compensation for wartime damages, according to a regional official involved in the mediation efforts.<\/p>\n

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Iran is open to discussing the type and level of its uranium enrichment, but his country \u201cbased on its needs, must be able to continue enrichment,\u201d Iranian state media reported.<\/p>\n

The Pentagon urged Iran to make a deal, with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth<\/a> telling reporters at the Pentagon that \u201cultimately, they need to come to the table.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Defense<\/p>\n

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks to members of the media during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (Source: Associated Press)<\/p>\n

He said the US will ensure that Iran never has a nuclear weapon.<\/p>\n

“We’d prefer to do it the nice way through a deal led by our great vice president and negotiating team. Or we can do it the hard way,” Hegseth said.<\/p>\n

Iran insists it does not seek a nuclear weapon and its nuclear program is for peaceful proposes.<\/p>\n

The fighting has killed at least 3000 people in Iran, more than 2100 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen US service members have also been killed.<\/p>\n

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent<\/a> said the Trump administration would ramp up economic pain on Iran with new economic sanctions on countries doing business with it, calling the move the “financial equivalent” of a bombing campaign.<\/p>\n

China calls for Strait of Hormuz to reopen<\/p>\n

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the window of peace was opening during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.<\/p>\n

Since the war began, Iran has curtailed maritime traffic through the strait, which a fifth of global oil transited through in peacetime. Tehran\u2019s effective closure of the strait sent oil prices skyrocketing, raising the cost of fuel, food and other basic goods far beyond the Middle East, and the US has responded with a blockade on Iranian shipping<\/a>.<\/p>\n

US Central Command said Wednesday that no ships had made it past the blockade since it was imposed two days earlier, while 13 merchant vessels complied with direction from US forces to turn around and re-enter Iranian waters.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"US President Donald Trump announced overnight that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, a truce…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":383201,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[65,42,5107,43,64,40,38,41,39],"class_list":["post-383200","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-headlines","tag-donald-trump","tag-headlines","tag-middle-east","tag-news","tag-north-america","tag-top-news","tag-top-stories","tag-topnews","tag-topstories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/383200","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=383200"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/383200\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/383201"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=383200"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=383200"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=383200"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}